10th NASS: ‘You Can’t Be Speaker When VP Is From Borno’- APC Group Tells Betera

Pressure is mounting on one of the aspirants for the position of the speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Murkta Betara, to shelve his ambition and support the choice of the ruling All Progressive Congress, Tajudeen Abbas.

A group called Tajudeen Canvassers Agent has joined the call on the Borno lawmaker to desist from causing confusion as his continuous campaign for the speakership would send wrong signals.

Abbas alongside Benjamin Kalu was endorsed by the party some weeks ago as its preferred choice for the position of the speaker, sending the party into chaos.

Other aspirants have kicked against the announcement and have continued to campaign.

But seeing the resolute stance of Betera who has also received overwhelming support across party lines, some party leaders and stakeholders have begun to mount pressure for him to step down.

A member-elect said on Wednesday at the APC national secretariat that Betera is under pressure. “It’s not positive to have someone from Borno as Speaker when the vice President-elect is from there.”

Some party leaders have also expressed that sentiment even as they say it’s unjustifiable.

The Coordinator of the Group, Amb. Adamu Jikan-Manu shares this sentiment during a press conference noting that, “We support APC leadership and Mr Tinubu’s decision that “settled” for Godswill Akpabio (South-south) and Barau Jibrin (North-west) for the senate president and deputy respectively,” he said.

“Also, Mr Abbas (North-west) and Ben Kalu (South-east) have been tipped as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

“We are therefore, advocating to APC Stakeholders in Borno, to prevail on Hon Betara and his supporters to respect the decision of APC leadership and the President elect Bola Tinubu on the 10th National Assembly.

“The leadership of the party and the President elect want to give each zone of the country a sense of belonging, considering the Vice President Kashim Shettima comes from the North East with Hon Betara, while Tajudeen Abass comes from North West, the party wants to strike a balance between regions.”

Jikan – Manu described Betara as a good leader with vision,who also deserves to become the Speaker of the tenth House of Representative.

“But the Party leadership and the President elect’s decision has wisdom that would take the party and the country to the greater high as well create an enabling environment for development,” he said.

“The decision made by the leaders shows mutual understanding and protection of democratic tenets as well as salvaging the country.”

The Coordinator urged the party leadership and stakeholders in Borno state to persuade Betara to withdraw his candidacy and support Hon Tajudeen Abbas PhD.

“We know the people of Borno are peace loving people that have patience, tolerance, patriotism and love for peace and mutual understanding,”he stated.

“We are also calling on all his supporters to be patient and come back and support Tajudeen Abbas for the interest of national development.”

The leader of the group called on . Betara to withdraw from the race and join forces with Tajudeen Abass to build and provide good governance for the tenth National Assembly and the country.

He added his continued presence in the race would only cause confusion, division and chaos in the party, National assembly and the country at large.